A toggle switch is a switch in which a projecting lever with a spring is used to open or to close an electric circuit. Toggle switches of various types have long been utilized to control power in domestic, commercial, industrial, and military applications for operating various electrical devices and equipment.
Known toggle switches typically are manufactured with a housing that contains electrical contacts and is fitted with a manually operable handle to switch power to externally mounted terminals. In one common form of a toggle switch, the handle has a cam surface internal to the housing that actuates a metallic leaf spring which in turn makes or breaks electrical conductivity with the contacts. Common toggle switches are standardized in terms of their mounting configurations such that they can readily be installed in wall-mounted electrical boxes, for example, with only the use of two screws. Typically, screw terminals are positioned on the sides of the switch housing such that connection can be easily made to electrical wires of suitable size to deliver power to electrical devices or equipment.
Toggle switches typically provide a manually accessible member which has metastability in a first position and a second position. For example, these positions may represent “ON” and “OFF”. Some situations provide a substantial penalty for accidental actuation. For example, during repair or installation, accidental actuation may result in electrocution or shock. Therefore, where a worker is not in the immediate vicinity of a switch and is in the process of installation, repair or maintenance, often a lock or flag is placed to alert others that the switch should not be reset or to prevent resetting without significant efforts.
Situations also arise when it is necessary not only to prevent accidental actuation, but to actually maintain the toggle switch in an actuated position. An example of this type of situation is inherent in many high-gravity military applications, such as, for example, in high-performance military aircraft. The United States Department of the Navy, for example, requires the use of a momentary switch in F-16 fighter aircraft, which is located near the pilot's leg and must be held manually during tactical maneuvers.
Such a switch can be utilized to invert the flight controls while performing combat maneuvers. Problems with such a momentary switch can occur when a pilot pulls a high “G-force” maneuver and his or her flight suit begins to inflate to force blood in his or her body to prevent a blackout condition. When this situation occurs, the pilot has a difficult time holding the switch in the “ON” position, causing him to become disoriented while viewing the flight control panel.
A need thus exists for an improved toggle switch, which can be adapted for use in such high-performance applications, and which permits a pilot to maintain actuation of the toggle switch during high “G-force” maneuvers.